[RIP] Goodbye my sunshine <3 [x-post r/dachshund]

[jamesholland]

Yesterday at 5am Chopper started throwing up blood, shaking, and breathing very shallow. My boyfriend and I have been out of town with our 2 dogs for the last week, staying with his mom since his died passed from a heart attack on Sunday. We rushed him to the closest vet but had to leave him there while we attended my "father in law's" funeral. The vet called us afterwards to say they ran blood work and radiographs and Chopper was resting comfortably but there was a mass in his lungs. By the time we had arrived at the cemetery for the internment, the vet called us back saying his lung had collapsed. It was at that time we had to make the decision to end his suffering. We couldn't be there for him which makes me so so sad, but the entire staff sat with him and wrapped him in the fluffiest blankets they had. The decision wasn't necessarily easy, but we knew it was the best thing for him. We didn't want him to suffer and I couldn't live with myself if they had waited hours for us to return from the burial, knowing he was unable to breathe, coughing up blood. We knew when we left the vets office that morning there was a chance we wouldn't see him again, so we had said our goodbyes.

I am beyond heart broken, but take comfort in knowing he did not suffer long. There are no words for how much he meant to us. He loved us far more than he loved himself and we tried to return the favor. Years of caring for a special needs dog (IVDD, IBD, and a recent lymphoma diagnosis) teaches you to be 100% selfless and a better person, and for that I am forever grateful. I'm so proud to have been his momma for 6 of his 11 happy years. Although he took a piece of my heart with him, I know a piece of him will forever live within me.

Chopper loved to lay in the sun. Even yesterday as we drove to the vet and he struggled to breathe, he held his little face out of the window. For the rest of my life, every time I feel the suns warmth, I will smile and cherish his memory. He was, and always will be my sunshine. I will miss you forever little man, but will never forget the lessons you taught me about living, loving, and caring for others

 

[jamesholland]

My little man:

https://imgur.com/5W9Gg4g

 

[dmitri]

@jamesholland Really sorry to hear of your multiple losses too.
Just the other week I lost my Daschund Rexy, in a terrible car accident and it was utterly soul destroying. I hope you find a nice way to remember him by.

 

[unaffiliated]

@dmitri Oh my goodness, this must be truly awful for you, I am so so sorry about poor Rexy

 

[montanarxz]

@jamesholland My sincerest condolences on the loss of your four legged fur baby. Chopper looks like a one in a million kind of dog. Sorry that you are going through multiple losses, too.

When we had to say goodbye to two of our crotch sniffers, we had them cremated. When we got the urns back, inside the box was also a small booklet about "How To Cope With The Loss Of A Loved One" kind of thing. And one of the suggestions was to maybe do something positive in their memory. Plant a tree, make a donation of some kind (money, volunteer work, etc.).

Now, I'm not going to lie and tell you that it helped immediately. But I will say this: Since having to say goodbye to our boxer, I have sworn off anything food or drink containing brominated vegetable oil (BVO) and seen an improvement in my overall well being. And when we had to say goodbye to our little taco terrier, both my wife and I gave up our decades old smoking habits. We've been smoke free now for over a year, and our new little trio of ankle bitters are benefiting from it, as well.

I look at it like this: My life is SO much better for having had them in it, and so my life should also be better in their memory and for the benefit of their successors.

 

[unaffiliated]

@jamesholland This is so heartbreaking to read but your adoration for your sweet, precious Chopper really shines through.

Remember the fun times and that its ok to cry and to miss him. You did the right thing for him and he was surrounded by kind people when he was going off to sleep.

Sending you hugs